


Meeting

by bleak_midwinter



Series: My Love [2]
Category: Peaky Blinders (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-10
Updated: 2019-02-10
Packaged: 2019-10-25 14:44:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17727182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bleak_midwinter/pseuds/bleak_midwinter
Summary: Tommy is becoming suspicious of Elise's continued absences from work.





	Meeting

“I need to speak with you Elise,” Tommy says over my shoulder making me almost leap from my skin.

Perhaps it’s just my paranoia; Ada and I have been sneaking around a lot more recently, but there’s something behind his words that sends a shiver down my spine. I cast a glance to Ada as we walk to his office hoping she’ll be able to silently reassure me that she knows what this is about. Her panicked eyes offer no comfort though.

“If this is about the latest-“ I start but Tommy shakes his head before I can even start.

“Sit down,” he orders, lighting a cigarette. “Where were you last Wednesday at 2 o'clock?”

“2 o'clock, umm,” I stall. I know exactly where I was; between Ada’s legs in the bathroom stall of the cafe across the road, but I doubt very much that Tommy, nor Ada would appreciate me voicing that truth.

“Have a think. Because you weren’t here.”

Under Tommy’s icy gaze I can’t seem to think of a lie, all excuses I've mused over in case this situation ever arose seem juvenile and transparent.

“I don’t know the exact time, but my mom’s not been very well and sometimes, when it’s quiet and I’ve done all my work, I pop home to check on her…”

“Is that so?” Tommy says, slouching back in his chair and rolling his cigarette in his fingers.

“Yes.”

“Because I saw your mum the other day in the Bull Ring and she seemed healthy enough.”

“She’s better now,” I say, but the quiver in my voice makes it sound more like I’m asking a question.

“Want to try again? Where were you-“ he pulls a piece of paper towards himself and glances at it, “-last Wednesday at 2 o clock, last Monday at 11, when you turned up late on Thursday 16th, when you left early on the 12th and the 14th and when you disappeared for half the day Thursday 2nd?”

I hadn’t realised Tommy had been keeping such a close eye on me, nor that my role here was of such importance that it warranted such careful observation, but I know each and every one of those dates; the time spent with Ada on each of them ingrained clearly in my memory.

“I promise I made sure all of my work is done before I even left my desk,” I mumble feebly, the only recompense I can think of immediately.

“Oh I don’t have a problem with your work, in fact your work is exemplary. What I want to know is where you disappear to?”

“I, ummm-“

“Someone has been trading inside information with some people who want to see harm come to myself, my business and my family.”

Suddenly it all makes sense, and if Tommy is telling me about his it means that he’s already fairly confident that it’s me.

“It’s not me, I swear Tommy.”

“Then where do you go?”

“I can’t tell you that,” I mumble, painful tears stinging the backs of my eyes. Ada would never forgive me if I told her brother the truth.

“You can and you will.”

All I can do is shake my head and try my hardest to fight away the tears at the corners of my eyes. Tommy opens the draw closest to him, but keeps his hand hidden from sight. “Where do you go?” he asks again, this time his voice is strained, as if he’s fighting to hold back the anger he so wants to unleash on me.

“I’m not telling anyone anything, I love my job. I’m not a traitor Tommy. I promise-“

Before I finish my grovelling though, Tommy whips a gun from the desk and my words disappear into the air.

“You live on Green Lane don’t you, last house on the left before it turns off?” He already knows he’s right, so I don’t answer. “It’s a nice house, just you, your mum and your little sister now isn’t it? She’ll be there now I suppose…”

“Tommy, it isn’t me. I swear-“ I babble, terrified that if he finishes his threat it’ll be too late.

“Tell me what they know.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! It’s not me and I don’t even know who these people are Tommy! Please don’t hurt her, it-“

He lowers his gun and takes the phone in hands instead. “All my people are waiting for is a phone call and your house and everything in it will be burnt to the ground. So tell me everything.”

With his threat verbalised, my anger radiates away from Tommy to Ada; the one making me keep a secret that’s putting my family at risk. A secret she wants me to keep to save her having an awkward conversation with her family, could mean my family are killed, and as if a switch has been flipped I realised there’s nothing to stop me from telling Tommy, in fact nothing has been stopping me since the beginning of our conversation.

“I was-“

“She was with me Tommy,” Ada announces, bursting into the office.

“She was with you?” Tommy repeats.

“Yes.”

“Is that true?” he asks me and I nod. “Doing what?”

“Baking fucking cakes,” Ada snaps, ignoring the fact the question was directed at me. “We were having sex Tommy.”

For a second Tommy seems genuinely caught off guard, but he wrangles his features quickly and sets them as stoically as before.

“She’s not trading your secrets, she’s fucking me.”

“Is that true?” Tommy asks again.

“Yes. Now can you call off your men or was that all a show?” I say, wanting nothing more than to be out of this office and away from the both of them.

“Not a show,” Tommy replies, picking up the phone and giving the orders for everyone to stand down.

“Am I off the hook now?”

“I suppose so, yes.”

“Then if you don’t mind, after all that, I’m going to take a half day- To check on my sister before you ask and I’ll be walking straight home and staying there until I have to come back here tomorrow,” I snap, storming towards the door.

Ada grabs my arm though and spins me towards her. “Wait, let me speak to you.”

Despite her pleading eyes I can see nothing more than her brothers viciousness, the Shelby curse which I thought Ada impervious to now seems to seep from her every pore and it turns my stomach.

“No, I need to make sure my family are okay.”

She doesn’t argue, although she looks like she wants to, instead she just lets go of my arm and sets me free from the office without a fight.


End file.
